Studies of the stratigraphy and structure of the San Joaquin Basin, California

The San Joaquin basin represents a complex history of sedimentation and tectonics. This dissertation examines that history using reflection seismic sections and data from boreholes. Upper Jurassic to Recent sedimentary fill of the San Joaquin basin is divided into four unconformity-bounded megasequences. Approximate ages of megasequence boundaries are: 135 Ma, 120 Ma, hiatus from 120 to 105 Ma, 105 Ma, 50 Ma and 16 Ma. Within these megasequences are seventeen unconformity-bounded sequences with an age duration of 1 to 17 million years. The megasequence boundaries reflect major tectonic events in the San Joaquin basin. The sequences may have developed in response to tectonic events or eustatic sea level cycles. The uncertainty in age of the sequence boundaries makes comparison to a proposed global sea level curve such as Haq et al.'s (1988) ambiguous.; Kettleman Hills South Dome experienced three stages of structural growth: (1) late Miocene reverse faulting, (2) Pliocene fault-propagation type folding and (3) Pliocene and Pleistocene tectonic wedge emplacement. Total shortening normal to the San Andreas fault between McLure Valley and the San Joaquin Valley since the Cretaceous is 7.9 km, excluding possible pre-Pliocene intra-basement shortening beneath Pyramid Hills.; Three lower Miocene depositional sequences suggest three cycles of rising and falling relative sea level in the southeastern San Joaquin basin. Falling sea level produced unconformities at approximately 24 {dollar}pm{dollar} 1 Ma, 21 {dollar}pm{dollar} 2 Ma, 17.5 {dollar}pm{dollar} 0.5 Ma, and 16 Ma. Rising relative sea level produced transgressions at roughly 23.5 {dollar}pm{dollar} 1 Ma, 20 {dollar}pm{dollar} 2 Ma and 17.2 {dollar}pm{dollar} 0.1 Ma and 16 {dollar}pm{dollar} 0.5 Ma. Paleo-water depth for the Oligocene and early Miocene determined from analysis of benthic foraminifera (Bandy and Arnal, 1969) is substantially deeper than water depth determined in this study by analysis of prograding clinoform geometry.; In the early Miocene, extensional tectonism affected the southeastern San Joaquin basin; dextral strike-slip apparently occurred at the Rio Bravo and Greeley oil fields and areas to the southwest. This extension and apparent strike-slip may have been a response to clockwise rotation of the Tehachapi block south of the San Joaquin Valley.